RAM - (Electronics & Computer Science / Computer Science) random access memory: semiconductor memory in which all storage locations can be rapidly accessed in the same amount of time. It forms the main memory of a computer, used by applications to perform tasks while the device is operating

Operating System - A program (or collection of programs) that manage(s) the physical computer and the programs that run on it by serving as an intermediary between those programs (or the user) and the physical machine. For example, Microsoft Windows.

Pseudocode - a compact and informal high-level description of the operating principle of a computer program or other algorithm. It uses the structural conventions of a programming language, but is intended for human reading rather than machine reading.

Stack - In programming, a special type of data structure in which items are removed in the reverse order from that in which they are added, so the most recently added item is the first one removed. This is also called last-in, first-out (LIFO). The stack is the section of memory that is allocated for automatic variables within functions.

Networking

Domain Name System - This system matches the domain name (website address) to its IP address. The IP address is used by computers to send packets whereas human use the domain name to easily direct the browser to a website. The connection made by the DNS allows for easy access for the humans.

Hub - A hardware device that connects ethernet devices into a single network. It is on the physical layer of the OSI model and does not discriminate which computers to send packets to on the local network.

protocol - method of communication between two devices; rules and procedures used to ensure compatibility between the sender and receiver of digital data regardless of the hardware and software; are used to identify the start and end of a message, the sender and receiver, the number of bytes to be transmitted and the method of error detection

Router - A hardware device that connects networks. It operates on the network layer of the OSI model and sends and receives packets across networks, particularly the internet as a whole. It reads the IP addresses of intended receivers and determines the destinations and best routes for those packets.

Switch - A hardware device that is a smarter version of a hub. It works on the data layer of the OSI model and discriminates which computers to send packets to on the local network. It does this by looking at the address of the intended receiver and sends the packet to that one location.

Hacking

ARP Spoofing - A technique whereby an attacker sends fake (spoofed) Address Resolution Protocol messages onto a LAN. This is usually done in an attempt to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of another host, usually the default gateway or network router. This causes any traffic being sent to that IP address to be sent to the attacker instead.

White Hat (hackers) - The term "white hat" in Internet slang refers to an ethical hacker, or a computer security expert, who specializes in penetration testing and in other testing methodologies to ensure the security of an organization's information systems

Shell Code - In computer security, a shellcode is a small piece of code used as the payload in the exploitation of a software vulnerability. It is called "shellcode" because it typically starts a command shell from which the attacker can control the compromised machine. Shellcode is commonly written in machine code, but any piece of code that performs a similar task can be called shellcode. Because the function of a payload is not limited to merely spawning a shell, some have suggested that the name shellcode is insufficient. However, attempts at replacing the term have not gained wide acceptance.

Information Assurance

Asymmetric Cipher - When exchanging data, each end of the exchange encrypts data with the other user/server's public key so that server/user can decrypt the data with their private key. This method is safe, but takes more time as the prime numbers are gargantuan. The private key must be kept safe.

Encryption - Encryption is the conversion of data into a form, called a ciphertext, that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized people. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted data back into its original form, so it can be understood.

Hybrid Cipher - A type of data exchange that takes the best of both worlds from Symmetric and Asymmetric Ciphers. Asymmetric encryption is used to set up a secure connection, but then the data is sent back and forth by using symmetric encryption. To add more security, a digital signature is used by a user signing the data with their private key, and the other end decrypts the signature by using the public key.

Symmetric Cipher - When exchanging data, both ends of the exchange encrypt data with a symmetric key. The key must be kept secret. This method is fast, but there is an issue in setting up a secure key exchange.